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Browns Owner Vetoed Gordon Trade In 2013

September 7th, 2014 at 2:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

With all the news surrounding Josh Gordon, it’s easy to forget the trade rumors that swirled regarding the troubled Browns receiver last season. Today, we have a little more specification on one such proposed deal courtesy of Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, who reports that the 49ers were highly interested in acquiring Gordon in the midst of last season.

Per La Canfora, San Francisco was willing to part with a second-round pick in “addition to other players” in order to add Gordon to what at the time was a struggling offense. However, Cleveland’s decision-makers were split on the idea of dealing their young star — while team president Joe Banner was “very open” to trading Gordon, head coach Rob Chudzinski, who had developed a personal relationship with the receiver, was less willing to deal him. Ultimately, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam stepped in and nixed any tentative deal, and requested any further Gordon trade discussions be tabled.

While neither Banner nor Chudzinski remains in the Cleveland organization, it’s worth wondering whether Haslam regrets his decision. Gordon’s status is still very much in the air, and while he’s certainly talented, garnering a second-round pick and transferring his risk to another team could have been viewed as a win for the Browns. The 49ers, of course, eventually reached the NFC Championship game even without Gordon — they acquired another receiver, ex-Bill Stevie Johnson, over the offseason.

La Canfora’s report could also give us some clarity as to Gordon’s current trade value. Though the Browns have denied any interest in waiving Gordon, it wouldn’t be out of the question for them to look to move him (especially if his one-year suspension is reversed, or lessened). Cleveland wouldn’t get more than the 49ers offered given Gordon’s current concerns, but a team desperate for a playmaker could propose some sort of package for the young receiver. Setting a second-rounder as the ceiling, and assuming his suspension is overturned or reduced, I could perhaps see a team sending a fourth-round pick to the Browns in order to acquire Gordon.

However, if Haslam’s view on dealing Gordon hasn’t wavered, any further trade discussions would be moot. Additionally, La Canfora writes that the Browns went to great lengths to help Gordon last season, working with the Cleveland Clinic to find sports psychologists who could assist him in his personal life. The Browns clearly have a lot invested in Gordon, and given that they’ve stuck by him through his latest episodes, I doubt they’d look to get rid of him now.

PFR Originals: 8/31/14 – 9/7/14

September 7th, 2014 at 2:13pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

Week In Review: 8/31/14 – 9/7/14

September 7th, 2014 at 1:38pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The headlines from the past week at PFR:

Extended:

Signed:

Traded:

  • Texans – acquired QB Ryan Mallett from the Patriots in exchange for a conditional 2016 seventh-round pick

Claimed Off Waivers:

Released:

Suspended:

  • Broncos – WR Wes Welker: four games (link)
  • Colts – owner Jim Irsay: six games, fined $500K (link)
  • Cowboys – DT Josh Brent (after being reinstated): 10 games (link)

Retired:

Other:

  • Alex Boone, 49ers rework contract and Boone returns to team (link)
  • Raiders name Derek Carr starting QB (link)
  • Josh Gordon, Wes Welker bans could be reduced as part of new drug policy (link). Latest on the drug talks here.
  • Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula favorite to land Bills franchise (link)

Sunday Roundup: Harbaugh, Gordon, Manuel

September 7th, 2014 at 12:28pm CST by Rory Parks

After Michigan’s embarrassing loss to Notre Dame on Saturday evening, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wondered if Michigan fans would begin to dream of 49ers‘ head coach Jim Harbaugh‘s return to Ann Arbor to coach his alma mater. We detailed Harbaugh’s contract situation last month, and as Florio writes, “with no new contract in place and no plan to try to work one out until after the season, Michigan could opt to chase Harbaugh.”

In a series of tweets, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that some 49ers sources believe that Harbaugh is already losing his locker room as the club’s veterans are wondering if their coach is really “all in.” Rapoport adds that some veterans were annoyed that Harbaugh took the team to Baltimore for a few days to hold joint practices with his brother, John, head coach of the Ravens. Between those rumblings and the fact that an extension was not reached in the offseason, Rapoport wonders if this will be Jim Harbaugh’s final season in San Francisco.

Now for some more notes from around the league as the season gets underway in full force:

  • Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports tweets that the 49ers will re-sign special teams standout Kassim Osgood tomorrow. Joel Corry notes (via Twitter) that the team did the same thing with Osgood last season (release him at the end of camp only to re-sign him after Week 1) and will get termination pay relief again.
  • Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer writes that, under the terms of the new drug policy being discussed by the league and the player’s union, Josh Gordon could be reinstated and back on the field for the Browns as early as next week, though he might still be suspended two games in November for his pending DWI charge.
  • ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports that there are some within the Bills organization who are skeptical of EJ Manuel‘s ability to succeed, and the team is not afraid to make a switch to Kyle Orton.

 

Latest On Drug Policy Talks

September 7th, 2014 at 10:20am CST by Ben Levine

SUNDAY, 10:20am: Citing a source with knowledge of the situation, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes that the NFL and NFLPA moved farther apart in their drug policy talks on Saturday night. The earliest any deal could happen would be tomorrow or Tuesday, but this recent development could delay such an agreement. However, as Florio writes, “Look for the talks to continue and a deal to remain possible unless and until one side or the other completely shuts down the negotiation process.”

According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today, there would be a breakdown in the process if the the NFL insists on the right to discipline players for DUI arrests prior to due process in the legal system. If that happens, then the NFLPA will not agree to a comprehensive drug policy.

SATURDAY, 6:00pm: Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk provides a handful of updates on the drug policy talks, writing that the league is proposing a one-game deactivation for any player or other team employee (including owners) who is arrested for DUI. In other words, an arrest without a conviction wouldn’t result in a suspension or lost pay, though the NFL would like first-time offenders to face a minimum two-game suspension after the conclusion of the legal process.

Per Florio (Twitter links), the ball is currently in the NFL’s court to respond to the NFLPA’s latest proposal, but a new agreement won’t be in place until Monday or Tuesday at the earliest, so any current suspensions will stand for this weekend at least.

SATURDAY, 11:50am: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the NFL and player’s union continue to work towards an agreement, and that Sunday is a soft deadline. Mark Maske of The Washington Post tweets that the two sides are trying to “complete something” today.

SATURDAY, 10:42am: We’ve heard whispers over the past couple of days that the NFL and the player’s union are diligently working on a new league drug policy. A league source tells Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com that an announcement could come at any time.

As Florio writes, the agreement would focus on the NFL using players’ blood test to check for the use of human growth hormone. Additionally, there would be changes in the league’s substance-abuse policy; a positive marijuana test will now be based on a higher grading-scale (which could affect Browns wideout Josh Gordon). The league will also consider offseason use of amphetamines a violation of the substance-abuse policy (which could affect Broncos receiver Wes Welker).

Florio also reports that the two sides agreed on a new deal regarding human grown hormone appeals. Any appeal for a positive PED or HGH test will now be heard through a third-party arbitrator, as opposed to commissioner Roger Goodell. Florio writes that the league is requesting the right to suspend players arrested for DUIs before their legal cases are cleared up in court.

There were reports yesterday suggesting that the player’s union refused an offer from the NFL to erase Gordon’s suspension in exchange for a resolution on the HGH testing, and Florio clarifies those rumors. NFLPA spokesperson George Atallah told PFT that the deal was never offered:

“The union would never negotiate an entire substance-abuse policy or PED policy based on one player.”

East Notes: Tannehill, Jets, Bryant

September 7th, 2014 at 10:13am CST by Rory Parks

For Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, 2014 may well be the season that determines his future in the league. As Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes, the Dolphins must decide by May 2015 if they want to exercise Tannehill’s fifth-year option for 2016. Since Tannehill was a top-10 pick, that option would pay him the average salary of the 10 highest-paid quarterbacks in the league (about $15MM).

However, if Tannehill and the Dolphins offense thrive this season under the leadership of new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, Miami could offer their young-signal caller a long-term extension, which the Bengals gave to Andy Dalton and the 49ers gave to Colin Kaepernick after their third seasons in the league.

Statistically, Tannehill’s second season compares favorably to Matt Ryan‘s, which is certainly encouraging for Miami fans. On the other hand, out of the 18 quarterbacks drafted in the top 10 from 2000-2011, seven saw their quarterback ratings drop in their third season.

Whether Tannehill takes a third-year leap like Ryan or a third-year tumble like Mark Sanchez will of course play a significant role in his own fortunes, but it will also go a long way in determining the fate of the franchise. As Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes, “This is going to be one of those defining seasons that either settles the franchise for the near future or points the whole place in a completely different direction.” And so much of that hinges on Tannehill’s right arm.

Now for a couple more notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • In the same piece linked above, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the Dolphins made an inquiry, but not an offer, to former starting safety Chris Clemons after he was released by the Texans. Reshad Jones is serving a four-game suspension to begin the season, and if the Dolphins do not like what they see from their secondary in today’s opener against New England, they could bring Clemons back into the fold next week and would not have to guarantee his salary for the remainder of the season.
  • Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes that, given the Jets‘ ample salary cap space, created in large part by GM John Idzik‘s failure to adequately address the team’s cornerback position this offseason–along with the holes stemming from those failures–head coach Rex Ryan should not be worried about his job security at the end of the season.
  • I wrote up the latest piece of news on the Bills‘ ownership saga earlier today.
  • Kevin Patra of NFL.com writes that, since the Cowboys and star wide receiver Dez Bryant were unable to hammer out an extension before today’s season opener, Bryant will be a logical candidate to get the franchise tag.

 

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/09/06/4332422/armando-salguero-history-says.html#storylink=cpy

Terry Pegula Frontrunner To Buy Bills

September 7th, 2014 at 9:08am CST by Rory Parks

In a full-length piece, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com expands on his report from several days ago that Buffalo Sabres’ owner Terry Pegula is the clear favorite to buy the Bills. As La Canfora writes, Pegula “has expressed a willingness to confidants to do whatever he has to do to get the team,” even if the NFL is able to find another bidder for the club and create something of an “auction scenario.” Such an auction could push the price tag further above the current estimate of $1.1 to $1.4 billion, but Pegula is apparently prepared to handle that type of increase.

Because he intends to keep the team in Buffalo beyond 2020–when the Bills’ stadium lease expires–Pegula certainly enjoys a great deal of public support. Fortunately for Bills fans, the Toronto-based group formerly led by Jon Bon Jovi, which would be hoping for a relocation to Ontario at some point in the future, has faced a number of internal struggles and is no longer a viable candidate. La Canfora does note that a move to Toronto may still be in the best financial interest of the team and the league, but “there are numerous options to exhaust in New York before reaching that point.”

Formal, binding bids for the team are due in the middle of this month. Once they are in, the trust of late owner Ralph Wilson will determine a winner, and the league’s other 31 owners will vote to determine if the winner will indeed become the new owner of the Bills. La Canfora expects that vote to happen during the league’s annual fall meetings, which will take place October 7-8 in New York.

 

J.J. Watt, Texans Agree To Contract Extension

September 7th, 2014 at 8:21am CST by Luke Adams

SUNDAY, 8:21am: Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds a couple of final details on Watt’s extension. In addition to setting forth Watt’s base salaries and roster bonuses for each year of the deal, Florio notes that, starting in 2016, the contract contains an annual $500,000 de-escalator, which will be triggered if Watt fails to complete offseason workouts. Based on that arrangement, Florio predicts that Watt is likely to remain a Texan until at least 2017, at which point the team can go year-to-year with him. Of course, what Jadeveon Clowney has accomplished–and how much he is being paid–at that time will have a significant impact on Houston’s decision-making.

TUESDAY, 8:28am: According to Andrew Brandt of TheMMQB.com (via Twitter), about $30.9MM of Watt’s new money is fully guaranteed at the time of his signing. The $51MM+ initially reported will all be fully guaranteed by the start of the 2016 league year — presumably, it’s guaranteed for injury only at this point.

TUESDAY, 12:47am: Watt’s six-year extension is worth $100MM, with $51.876MM in guaranteed money, tweets McClain. Again, we’ll have to await the specifics, but assuming it isn’t being artificially inflated, that’s a pretty massive figure.

TUESDAY, 12:30am: It’s been a productive long weekend for J.J. Watt and the Texans, who have agreed to terms on a new contract for the star defensive lineman, reports John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. According to McClain (via Twitter), after negotiating for weeks, the team and agent Tom Condon worked on a deal until late Monday night before reaching an agreement.J.J. Watt

According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Watt’s new contract will be for six years and will be worth in the neighborhood of $99MM, including $51MM in guaranteed money. We’ll have to wait to see how much of that money is fully guaranteed, and how exactly the contract breaks down, but Mortensen’s report suggests Watt’s deal will surpass Mario Williams‘ six-year, $96MM pact, and will make him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive lineman. It should also keep him locked up through the 2021 season.

Because he was a first-round pick in 2011, Watt still had two years remaining on his rookie contract. The Wisconsin product had been set to earn a base salary of about $1.9MM in 2014, and the Texans also exercised their fifth-year option for 2015, worth $6.969MM. Considering the team could have had Watt for two more years at a bargain price and then would have had the option to use the franchise tag on him twice, the 25-year-old didn’t seem to have a lot of leverage. Still, it seems the club was motivated to lock up the league’s best defensive player rather than letting the situation drag on.

Since entering the league as the 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft, Watt has been a dominant force on the Texans’ defensive line, averaging more than 12 sacks per season, including 20.5 in 2012. Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) paint a clear picture of the sort of elite defender Watt is, with the Texans lineman recording grades of +94.2 in ’12 and +99.8 last season. By comparison, the only other two 3-4 defensive ends to grade higher than +30.0 in a season during that span were Muhammad Wilkerson (+37.2 in 2012) and Calais Campbell (+34.1 in 2013).

By agreeing to a new deal before the regular season gets underway, Watt avoids having to wait until after the season to revisit the topic, since the Texans have a policy about not discussing extensions during the season. The former 11th overall pick had suggested a couple weeks ago that it would be “great” to get a new contract done before the season began, and it appears his camp and the club worked hard to make that happen.

With the deal, Watt becomes the third 2011 first-rounder to sign a long-term extension. Patrick Peterson of the Cardinals and Tyron Smith of the Cowboys also reached agreements on new contracts with their respective clubs.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Vested Veteran Salary Guarantees

September 6th, 2014 at 10:00pm CST by Luke Adams

A handful of veteran players were cut from their teams’ respective rosters today, and while different clubs have different reasons for shuffling their rosters, the looming vested veteran guarantee may have played a part in many of those moves. A vested veteran, or a player with at least four years of NFL experience, will have his 2014 base salary guaranteed for the year if he’s on an NFL team’s roster for the first game of the season.

That means that if a team decided after Week 1 to part ways with a veteran player with a 2014 base salary of $1MM, the team would still be on the hook for that full $1MM, which would count against the cap. A veteran who has received this form of termination pay in the past wouldn’t be eligible to receive it again, but otherwise the player can put in a claim for his full salary and receive it. Veterans not a Week 1 roster don’t benefit from that provision, however.

If a player is signed during the season, following a team’s first game, and is later released, he’s only entitled to 25% of his full-season salary. For instance, let’s say a team signed a player in Week 2 for a full-year salary of $1.02MM. First, that salary would be prorated for 16 weeks, meaning it’d be worth $960K. If a player is cut shortly after signing, he’d receive 25% of that amount, or $240K. If the player is released within four weeks of signing, he’d only count for $240K against his team’s cap, rather than the amount of his full salary.

As such, we could see veteran players who were released by teams within the last few days re-sign with those clubs next week, when their full-season salaries will no longer be guaranteed and teams can retain maximum roster flexibility.

Note: This is a PFR Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to free agency, trades, or other aspects of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Information from Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post.

Minor Moves: Saturday

September 6th, 2014 at 8:49pm CST by Ben Levine

As most of the team’s prepare for their season-debut tomorrow, some minor moves are likely to be made. We’ll keep track of the day’s transactions right here, with the most recent moves being added to the top:

  • Defensive lineman Garrison Smith has been dropped from the Dolphins‘ practice squad in order to make room for the previously-reported addition of Brandian Ross, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Wilson also clarifies (via Twitter) that Quinton Pointer‘s release from the Buccaneers, which is noted below, was an injury waiver.

Earlier updates:

  • The Buccaneers are expected to add receiver Solomon Patton to the 53-man roster, reports Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (via Twitter). The team released cornerback Quinton Pointer and former University of Florida receiver Louis Murphy to make room for Patton and Dixon.
  • The Seahawks have waived wide receiver Phil Bates, reports Terry Blount of ESPN (via Twitter). Blount believes this will open room on the roster for a cornerback.
  • The Chargers have waived Vincent Brown after reaching an injury settlement, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). Brown will be eligible to be claimed on Monday at 4 P.M. ET.
  • The Dolphins have re-signed safety Brandian Ross to their practice squad, reports Caplan (via Twitter).
  • The Eagles have released receiver Arrelious Benn from IR with an injury settlement, reports Caplan (via Twitter).
  • The Ravens have promoted running back Fitz Toussaint from the practice squad to the active roster, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Toussaint will replace the recently released Derek Cox.
  • The Patriots have added defensive lineman Kelcy Quarles to their practice squad, according to the team’s official website. They released tight end Allen Reisner to make room.
  • Buccaneers cornerback Brandon Dixon, a sixth-round pick by the Jets this past year, will be activated from the practice squad, tweets CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora.
  • The Bengals have waived defensive end Christo Bilukidi, reports ESPN.com’s Coley Harvey (via Twitter). The team signed cornerback Onterio McCalebb off the practice squad.
  • Brandon Barden, a tight end who previously spent time with the Titans, was removed from the Jaguars injured reserve with an injury settlement, reports Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • Cornerback Damond Smith was removed from the Chiefs injured reserve with an injury settlement, tweets Wilson.
  • Panthers tight end D.C. Jefferson was placed on the team’s reserve/suspended list, tweets Wilson. Jefferson was previously on the team’s injured reserve list.
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